Q&A: Norwich Salvation Army Captain Jerry Uttley

Jerry and Mindy Uttley moved oo Norwich from Syracuse, N.Y., and have quickly become part of the fabric of the local fundraising community by way of the Norwich Salvation Army branch.

Adam Benson

Jerry and Mindy Uttley moved oo Norwich from Syracuse, N.Y., and have quickly become part of the fabric of the local fundraising community by way of the Norwich Salvation Army branch. With the holidays approaching, Jerry Uttley recently spoke about the state of the group’s local arm and where the needs are greatest.

Q: What do you think of Norwich in the time you’ve been here?
A: I really enjoy Norwich. It’s a very nice town, and there’s just a lot of work that needs to be done in meeting the needs of the community. I see an issue with homelessness and people also not having enough to eat, and we’ve been trying our best to do what we can.

Q: Is funding still a problem for the Army here?
A: We are still facing a financial problem here in Norwich. When I walked in, there was only about $500 in the account, and now, with the holidays, we’re up to about $49,000. Most of it is through contributions, and that includes donations of supplies and financial support.

Q: What’s your biggest focus right now?
A: The biggest focuses are the Christmas Kettle and Angel Tree campaigns. The goal for the kettle campaign is $125,000, which stays right in the greater Norwich area. I do see people being able to make donations again, but there are still people in need of our services.

Q: How big is the need?
A: From last year, there’s been a 56 percent increase in the services the Salvation Army provides to communities across the country. Here, we have a food pantry that operates Tuesday through Thursday and feeds anywhere from 300 to 400 families each month.

Q: Are people calling on your organization more now than in the past?
A: From what I’ve seen, there’s been an increase even since I came here in June, but I believe the Army is supported by the community, and we are grateful they’ve been able to come alongside us and help. We do also provide clothes and blankets to help people with the basic needs they may have. This Christmas, we are providing 250 baskets for people to have a meal.

Q: What can people do to help?
A: There are still some Angel Tree tags available at local Stop & Shops and Wal-Marts. The deadline for them was Dec. 14, but if they come in after that, we don’t turn them down.